by Teri (KO4WFP)
After a one-month hiatus, it was time for the POTA Babe to get again within the saddle. Tuesday, August 13, Daisy and I dropped off my son and headed out for an journey. Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Protect (US-3913), throughout the Savannah River in South Carolina, is a forty five minute drive from my son’s highschool.
The drive is an easy one from Savannah: take US Freeway 17 throughout the Savannah River to Hardeeville, SC the place one turns onto US Freeway 321. This highway cuts a straight line from Hardeeville to Tillman, a small city in the midst of nowhere. Although the day was sunny, shortly after turning onto Freeway 321, I hit fog which I assume was because of the proximity to the Savannah River. Canals run alongside either side of the highway most of this stretch of 321 and so they have been stuffed with water lillies.
In Tillman, one takes Sand Hill Street/SC Route 119 to the park. The protect is on the left aspect of this highway when heading north however should you don’t have a map as I did, you’ll miss the knowledge kiosk which is hidden behind some timber.
For POTA, I normally prefer to function out of or near my automobile. In the summertime warmth (sure, it’s scorching and humid right here even at 9 AM), I’m not inquisitive about climbing any distance. Nevertheless, the entry highway to this protect was gated so driving into the protect was not an choice. Time to rethink my sport plan.
To the left of the kiosk is a parking space. Simply previous it contained in the protect is a dust highway which isn’t accessible resulting from wooden posts. I parked my automobile Kai and walked to the highway, seeking to the left and proper. Hmmm. To the fitting, I discovered a gap within the tree cover a bit methods up the highway. Not being removed from the automobile, this spot would make an acceptable QTH.
Y’all know I get pleasure from utilizing my arbor line and EFRW antenna; nevertheless, at this time I introduced the Chelegance MC-750 for a number of causes. A brief activation is perfect on this warmth and humidity and the Chelegance may be faster to put in than the EFRW, particularly if it takes me a number of throws to snag the department I would like with the arbor line. (Some days I do a greater job than others.) I additionally really feel I ought to department out and use totally different antennas from time to time. Final however not least, I simply felt lazy given the climate. (Even POTA Babes have their lazy days.)
I discovered a spot on the dust highway properly shaded by timber. Given the solar’s place, I figured we might have one and a half to 2 hours of respite from it. I threw a tarp on the highway, my stuff on high of it, and completed establishing. Daisy, spurning the tarp, dug her personal little cool place within the dust.
I began with 40 meters, given the early hour. I discovered the band noisy resulting from RFI from both the close by energy traces or the residence throughout the road. I then found the cell protection right here was spotty. I’d be capable of textual content for 5 minutes after which there’d be no service for ten minutes. Proper once I was able to textual content my associate Glenn the frequency to identify me on the POTA web page, I misplaced service. (Nice.)
Given the noise on 40 meters, I didn’t linger there lengthy and moved to twenty meters, searching for a station to arrange close to and hope ops would possibly run throughout me. Given how usually I used to be calling CQ, this was the primary activation I used the pre-recorded CQ POTA message on my KX2.
Lastly, after calling CQ for 25 minutes, Steve N2YLO responded to my CQ. However then I misplaced him resulting from propagation. I went again to calling CQ and three minutes later I heard from an everyday, Bob AB3GB in Pennsylvania. I gave him a 599 and he gave me a 579. YES! I used to be lastly off and working.
However of us, that was all she wrote that day. I didn’t hear a peep after my QSO with Bob. Whereas letting the KX2 name CQ, I listened to the birdsong round me, watched all of the exercise within the ant mound 10 toes from me, and tracked a dragonfly who perched on the highest of the Chelegance.
As I used to be not getting any additional response to my CQ calls and Daisy and I had solely thirty or so extra minutes of shade, it was time to name QRT. What I didn’t understand on the time was a photo voltaic storm was taking place. Once I lastly reached a spot with cell service later, I checked the photo voltaic numbers and the A quantity was 122!
Having a bust activation like this is able to have demoralized me once I was new to POTA. Nevertheless, I’ve had sufficient of those form of activations now to know it’s life with POTA. I recalled the primary two activations when I used to be in Nova Scotia final summer season and the third day of my North Carolina journey this previous month. I struggled with these failed activations. However now, effectively, it’s what it’s. Situations finally enhance and one can strive the park once more as I’ll undoubtedly do for this park.
Earlier than I headed again to Savannah, although, I checked out the B&C Touchdown marked on the map. The highway to the touchdown useless ends on the Savannah River which is the border between Georgia and South Carolina.
Alongside the highway, one encounters personal residences that are marked on the park map. After they disappear, a reasonably blackwater swamp seems on either side of the highway. I really like little swamps like this.
On the touchdown is a big gravel car parking zone. The timber on the east aspect of the lot shaded the bottom beneath. I seen the placement of the solar behind them. It was near 11:30 by this level. An early activation right here would work effectively. No energy traces or residences close by. Loads of shade. A lot of branches from which an EFRW may cling. Examine! Examine! Examine!
Nevertheless, as I wrote this text and started interested by the map of Tillman Sand Ridge Heritage Protect, I remembered a number of little “cutouts” on the map of areas not included inside the park boundaries. And wouldn’t you realize – the gravel car parking zone on the touchdown is NOT included within the boundary. Dang!
This implies my “sensible” concept of a location from which to function just isn’t so sensible in any case. So, subsequent time I try to activate this park and wish to use the touchdown location, I’ll want to take action from the other aspect of the gravel car parking zone to make sure I’m inside the park boundary or return to the placement I used at this time.
As at this time’s activation was a bust, it will not rely towards my purpose of 60 new parks for 2024. I’ll have to come back again, hopefully beneath higher circumstances for propagation, or head to a brand new web site. What’s going to I select? Keep tuned…
P.S. For these of you who’re , I’ve posted a video on my fledgling Youtube channel in regards to the activation. You’ll be able to entry it through this hyperlink:
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